Málaga CF were denied a key goal by a VAR technical failure. The semi-automated offside system malfunctioned during Sunday's match at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez, preventing its normal use to review Carlos Dotor's strike just before halftime.
The play was initially flagged offside by the assistant referee. When the video assistant referees reviewed it, they found the technology could not analyse the position. This forced them to resort to manually drawing lines to check the play, a slower process more open to interpretation. After this manual review, the initial decision was confirmed and the goal was disallowed.
LaLiga has acknowledged that the final decision to rule out the goal was correct, despite the system failure. The governing body explained that a malfunction prevented the semi-automated offside system from clarifying whether the goal was legal or not. Such incidents have been rare since the technology was introduced to Spanish football in 2024.
For a Málaga CF side battling at the bottom, the disallowed goal was particularly painful. The team, sitting 20th in La Liga with just 3 points after six games, ultimately lost the match 1-0. The only goal of the game was scored by Iván Azón for Getafe in the 85th minute. This result extends a poor run for Málaga, who are yet to win this season and have lost their last two matches.
The team now prepares for the international break, with focus on their next fixture. They host Espanyol at La Rosaleda on October 9th, an opponent currently 12th in the table.
Background and full detail: Sport.es
